The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-06-01
THE MILLER FARM.
A Clear Definition of the Proper Use Of
the Public Domain.

VlI1.6u TtAuWS
Clear Definition Of the Proper Use Of
the Public Domain.
In 1873 Guilford Miller settled on one
hundred and sixty acres of land in
Washington Territory, fifty miles from
the line of the Northern Pacific rail
road. He complied with the law regu.
lating the settlement of the public
lands, and went to work to improve his
homestead.
In 1885, after Miller had occupied
and worked his farm for seven years,
the Northern Pacific railroad set up
claim to it. Miller indignantly resist
ed the grasp of the big corporation and
the case was appealed to the General
Land Office at Washington. OF course
the Northern Pacific would not have
gone to such trouble merely to get pos
session of Guilford Miller's little one
hundred and sixty acres. But there
are thousands of farmers along the line
of that railroad who settled their lands
just as Guilford Miller settled his. Il
Miller could be dislodged all those OF
his class would be at the mercy of the
railroad. The case had been hanging
up in the Land Office nearly two. years
until President Cleveland wrote to Sec
rotary Lamar letter declaring that he
thought Gllilford Miller was clearly en-,
titled to his farm and asking the Secre..
tary to protect him ia its possession. 4
The letter of the President is very
clear and strong in its expressions as
to the proper use of the public domain.
He refers with severe disapprobation
to the withdrawal of millions of acres
of public lands since 1872 from the
operations of the laws of the United
States, and the placing of them be.
yond the reach of citizens who desire
to settle them. The President alludes
to one of the most fragrant abuses
which obtained in the Land Office
during Republican rule, when he says:
Under the former orders and action OF the
Interior Department this has been done for
the benefit Of q railroad corporation having no
fixed, certain or definite interests in such
lands In this manner the beneficent policy
and intention of the Government in relation to
the public domain have for all these years been
thwarted. After the lapse Of seventeen years
this large body Of the public domain is still
held in reserve, to the exclusion of settlers for
the convenience Of corporation beneficiary Of
the Government and awaiting Its selection,
koi,a
reserved land can never be honestly claimed
by said corporation.
A much-needed reform in the man.
agement and distribution of the public
lands is promised in these words:
Such condition of the public lands should no
longer continue So far as 1t is the result Of
executive rules and methods these should be
abandoned and so far as 1t is a consequence OF
improvident laws these should be repealed OF
amended. ~
President Clevela nd's action in this
matter will give feeling of security to
thousands of settlers whom the ques-
tionable methods Of the Land Office as
administered by Republican officials
had greatly alarmed. That Office had
long stood sorely in need of cleaning
out from top to bottom. The present
Administration has begun the work
bravely and has already removed many
abuses. A complete cleaning out o.
the Land Office will yet be accom-
plished. President Cleveland's action
/ in the Miller case shows how watchfu,
Democracy is Of the rights Of the hum,
blest citizen, and how ready it is to en-
force the laws with the most fearless
honesty.-Atlanta Constitution.